My first festival experience

As someone who isn't much of a hardcore "rocker" and likes my creature comforts, spending a weekend camping in a mudbath, using horrible toilets, and seeing music that's very cool yet knowing very little of it, has never been top of my list.
But, having always stuck with the mantra that you should try everything once before you knock it, I realised I couldn't really pass judgement on this festival experience everyone raves about without trying it for myself. And with the scary 30 fast approaching, this year seemed the right year to take the plunge.
First observations - Glastonbury is HUUUUGGE! Far biggerin reality that you can even begin to grasp from either what you're told, or what you see on the TV. The walk from your car to the campsite is long, gruelling even. The campsite itself is a sea of tents, crammed so close you can hear your neighbour breathing, let alone snoring. The mud, well, there aren't really any words, and the toilets, need I say more.
But all these things fade into insignificance once you start to embrace what Glastonbury is all about. Some may bemoan the fact it has changed - the small festival started by Michael Eavis in 1970 when entry was just £1 including free milk from the farm. Some say the hippy atmosphere has been lost to the commercial behemoth Glastonbury has become; the small acts replaced by huge headliners. And yes, as I said above, it's HUGE. The acts are massive - who would have thought a diva like Beyonce would take centre-stage at an event like this, that mainstream pop-lovers would be able to party alongside the hippies, rockers, and uber-cool people who know exactly which band is going to soar to worldwide fame before the band knows it themselves?
But this is the beauty of Glastonbury. It has changed with the times - it's cool but inclusive.
There may have been a time when a top-40 lover like me would have felt out of place, uncool, and just not suited to Glastonbury. But the fact there's so much, something for everyone, means that whilst changing, people can enjoy five days of fun no matter what they're in to. It means Glastonbury is, as it always has been, somewhere where everyone can join in. Nobody's left out of music choices or entertainment, which means it keeps its charm.
Large it may be - I realised I saw so little in the time I was there it was shameful - but there's still hippy stalls, areas to sit and while away the hours. There's still the focus on environmental awareness, Greenpeace is a huge presence, and we're all reminded of the roots of Michael Eavis' creation.
Some people who remember Glasto how it was "back in the day" feel they have lost the festival they fell in love with. But for newcomers like me, the evolving Glastonbury is what keeps it alive. The way it is changing will keep it a popular event, will mean people keep listening to the messages that are still there deep down, and keep listening to the musicians whose work is given an airing to one of the biggest audiences of the year. And it means people like me, more S Club than supercool, feel they can go and join in, without being left out in the cold by all the cool cats out there!